'Ghost Stories': Warp Films

Andy Nyman and Martin Freeman star in 'Ghost Stories'

'Ghost Stories' - Made with investment from the Yorkshire Content Fund

Written and directed by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson, Warp Films’ Ghost Stories centres around sceptical professor Phillip Goodman, whose TV show “Psychic Cheats” aims to debunk supernatural stories. Goodman embarks on a trip to the terrifying when he is presented with three case files of unexplained apparitions and is challenged to prove they aren’t authentic instances of supernatural activity.

As the project moved towards production, Warp Films found that they had none of the usual softer funding in place other than tax credits. Working with sales agent Altitude and investor Catalyst Global Media – and with a music deal with Cutting Edge – the team were able to generate most of the money they required, but they also turned to Screen Yorkshire to help find the remaining funding of just over 10%. Warp Films had worked with Screen Yorkshire many times and knew they would be able to respond quickly and work collaboratively with the other financial investors.

Warp Films considered several filming locations for the movie, including Wales and some international locations where the team would have benefited from further tax break incentives. What clinched Yorkshire, however, was Screen Yorkshire’s willingness to offer help and advice as well as their enthusiasm for the project: no sooner had the team read the script then they started to send through suggestions for locations. Even before funding was secured, the team invited Warp Films to come up to scout locations. It was this positive reaction to the project that tipped the balance.

Screen Yorkshire were also supportive during financial closing, when Warp Films found there was a shortfall in the pre-sales which left a further gap. Screen Yorkshire were proactive in working with Catalyst, both stepping up to plug the gap with additional funding.

Ghost Stories had its international premiere in March 2018 at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, receiving great critical acclaim. Distributed by Lionsgate, it opened to UK audiences a month later on an impressive 400+ screens and enjoyed a long cinema run at the domestic box office as well as internationally. Ghost Stories was released on DVD in August 2018.

That’s the thing about Screen Yorkshire – they are very supportive of the production company, they understand the difficulties of production and they are willing to discuss and advise in order to help get the film made.